Unit 2 The Prime Minister and Cabinet AS politics Edexcel

Cabinet committees

A group of about 5 cabinet ministers who meet to discuss policy. To deal with decisions that need approval of more than one department. Some are temporary like the Olympics but others are permanent like economic development; and, national security, international relations and development. Issues too technical/complex for full cabinet to discuss, there is no time/information. When a decision of a committee is referred up its usually accepted. Increases PM's control, he creates them, decides who sits on them and what their agenda is. It's easier for him to control a smaller number

The government

Although this figure changes in general the government consists of 25 peers and 90 MP's 23 cabinet members- the head of government the prime minister and secretaries of state, 15 senior non cabinet posts - people who are not important enough to be in the cabinet but still important i.e. the attorney general, 60 junior ministers - ministers of state working under members of the cabinet, 17 part whipps running the administration and ensuring MP's stay in line.

Prime ministerial power - formal (all)

Appointment and dismissal of ministers Granting peerages and other honours Head of the civil service Appointment senior judges and bishops Determining the date of the general election Commanding the armed forces Conducting foreign relations Maintaining national security Chairing cabinet meetings

The functions of the prime minister (2)

Chief foreign policy maker - negotiating with other countries, signing treaties and chairing international meetings Parliamentary leader - it is the role of the prime minister to lead his party in parliament, both the House of Commons and House of Lords

The functions of the prime minister (1)

Chief policy maker - he has the final say on policy Head of government - can make and abolish committees and departments. Head of civil service. Chairs cabinet meetings. Determining who holds the posts of ministers, senior judges and arch bishops. Chief government spokesman - represents policy to the media Commander in chief of the armed forces - on behalf of monarch, committing troops declaring war and head of intelligence services

Ministers and departments

Department has two heads one minister "secretary of state" and one civil servant "permanent secretary". Therefore each department has a political structure, the minister then junior ministers then private political advisors; and administrative structure the permanent secretary and a large number of civil servants who are supposed to be neutral.

Tasks of the civil service

Gather information for policy making Provide alternative courses of action Advise on consequences of decisions Draft legislation Provide briefings for other ministers Advise on implementation methods Organise implementation of policy Draft answers for ministerial questions

Changing cabinet prime ministerial domination (1)

Howard Wilson realised he could control the cabinet through the help of a few close allies. The cabinet secretary who now served him almost exclusively, a few private advisors that he consulted in order to discuss strategy and his own force. He could control the political agenda of the cabinet. He started having meeting with other cabinet ministers outside of cabinet meetings in order to control what happened in them and reportedly even had the minutes of the cabinet changed to support his own conclusions.

Prime ministerial power - (varies)

Making government policy Parliamentary leadership Controlling cabinet National leadership

Other forms of government

Minority government - winning party fails to win an absolute majority, find it difficult to pass legislation and financial budgets, they are therefore short lived Coalition government- shared appointment of posts and shared policies between two or more parties. Has happened in 1945 and in the Scottish parliament as well as at local government level. Majority coalition - between 2 parties to form govt Grand coalition - form an overwhelming majority Rainbow coalition - 1 large party and several others National coalition - where all parties are called to join

Features of a civil servants job

Must display no political allegiance Permanent wish to move up through the ranks Keep their jobs when the party changes May only suggest alternative in a neutral way Identify possible outcomes in a neutral way Largely anonymous Cannot be held publically accountable

Not presidential government

Office of PM is flexible and depends on what the holder wants to make it PM's seem to be more presidential through the media but in reality are not - Thatcher sacked As the PM tries to stretch power the constraints become more powerful - Thatcher's enemies turning on her Even though he appears to be he is not actually head of state.

Features of a ministers job

Politically committed to one party Temporary only hold office as long as PM wishes Will lose office if party loses power Are expected to make political decisions Make judgements about outcomes of those decisions Have a public profile Publically accountable for their department

Tasks of a minister

Set the political agenda Determine priorities for action Decide between political alternative Obtain cabinet and PM's approval for policy Steer proposals through parliament Be accountable to parliament for policies and implementation Account to parliament for general performance of their department

Functions of the cabinet today

Settling disputes between ministers Making decisions that cannot be made elsewhere - gain cabinet support, to save the PM embarrassment Dealing with domestic emergencies - it is good to have full cabinet backing at times of national security Determining presentation of policy Legitimising decisions taken elsewhere -such as in cabinet committees or

Characteristics of the government

The 90 or so MP's perform duties in government but also have constituencies to look after Other MP's of the party are known as backbenchers and not bound by the same rules as frontbenchers All members of government are appointed by the PM Members of the government are bound by collective responsibility and must publically support policy no matter what they may believe; therefore they must also take responsibility for it. If a member of government is against policy they should resign.

Marginalisation

The PM has increasingly taken power away from the cabinet and given it to himself Department don't want to bring issues to the cabinet Cabinet committees are dealing with much of the policy on their own A lot of policy is now formed in downing street by the PMs personal political advisors The PM deals with individual ministers separately

Cabinet government

The cabinet represented the collective identity of the government All important domestic and many foreign policies were made within the cabinet Policy needed full cabinet approval for it to be official Disputes would be resolved within the cabinet The PM was first amongst equals and could be voted against by the rest of the cabinet

Changing cabinet prime ministerial domination (2)

The media exclusively focussed on Wilson so he became the presenter and therefore maker of policy Thatcher took this too a new level by completely removing all her political opponents out of government and controlling the cabinet as Wilson had done. The media also focussed on Thatcher. Blair took this further by using Wilsons tactics of control and Thatcher's strategy of media supremacy as well as controlling the flow of information to the governing community

Ministerial selection

The prime minister decides upon a minister firstly through the competence of the individual and secondly through political consideration. The minister should be politically reliable - accepting collective responsibility, junior ministers should have potential so that they can replace senior members at a later stage, ministers should preferably be ideologically united, have managerial skills

Sources of prime ministerial power and authority

The ruling party - PM has support of party and the rest of the country in ordinary members. Party won the general election he carries elective authority. Prerogative powers - the powers that the PM can practice on behalf of the monarchy as it would be undemocratic for the monarch to have these powers. The prime minister can claim personal mandate as more and more people take into account the party leader when voting Parliament - can claim parliamentary authority as long as he has a majority.

Limits on Prime ministerial power

The size of the majority in the House of Commons - john major just 21, tony blairs majority of over 100 Having a united party - as seen with Cameron and brown over the expenses issue Public and media profile - Blair and Thatcher. Support of cabinet and parliament - as if these overrule him there is nothing he can do Confidence of the party

Formation of a cabinet

Vital part of PM's powers of patronage, he appoints and can dismiss senior members of government The PM must decide if he wants a balanced cabinet or an ideologically united cabinet. And which individuals he should choose. Political allies from the past, representing an important part of society, a rebel that could be dangerous outside, those with great potential, personal friends, popular figures, retaining political identity, finally able to do a good job

Presidential government

effectively head of state - the country unites behind the PM in times of national emergency - Diana Large amount of personal advisors - cabinet office serves the PM not government, policy directorate and strategy unit playing key parts. Controls foreign policy- Blair supporting US in the middle east, world environmental issues, EU Build up of special leadership - Thatcher used her own advisors instead of the chancellor major was forced out due to having political enemies